The North Central Governors Forum on Tuesday resolved to cooperate on security of the zone following the killing of over 165 persons in Plateau communties on the Christmas eve.
The governors also donated the sum of N100 million to the victims of the killings.
Speaking with newsmen in Jos, Plateau, after a condolence visit to the state government along with other North Central Governors, the chairman of the forum stated that the perpetrators of the heinous crime should be treated as terrorists.
“The North Central governors are united, and we are eager to make sure that we make an impact in our various states and North Central in particular.
Already, we are planning economic and security cooperation. We have met a few times to discuss this joint partnership in the areas of agriculture, mining, security, and infrastructure.
“There are instances in the North Central where you begin a road in one place, even though it is rural, and you end up in another state. So we have to join hands for the interests and benefits of our people. But most of these will come up for discussion when we have economic and security submissions,” he said.
The forum chairman, Governor Engr. Abdullahi Sule, conveyed condolences for the Christmas Eve attacks, describing Plateau as a true home for Nigerians and stressing the need to identify the root cause of the issue for a lasting solution.
Engr. Sule characterized the incident as pure terrorism, urging the deployment of technology to identify perpetrators and curb their operations in the North Central and highlighting the collective responsibility of all Nigerians in addressing the challenge.
The chairman, while speaking during the conference visit, disclosed the sum of N100 million from the four governors to the families of the affected communities.
Also, the Governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, during the visit called on the people of Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue, and Niger states to unite in the fight against terrorists who are disrupting the peace in the North-Central states.
Governor Alia stated that since the problem of incessant unprovoked attacks on farming communities has become common in the four states, there is every need for a united strategy, willpower, and to check the borders to checkmate the menace.
Responding, the host governor, Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, reaffirmed his dedication to collaborating with fellow North Central governors to promote peace, unity, and substantial development in the region.
He emphasized the North Central’s significance as a cohesive force in the nation and highlighted the region’s abundant natural resources, stating their potential benefits for the entire nation.
Governor Mutfwang called for united efforts to combat armed banditry, terrorism, and criminal activities prevalent in the region. Condemning the recent acts of terrorism in Plateau, he appealed to the Federal Government for assistance in dualizing the Wamba-Panyam and Akwanga-Jos roads, crucial gateways for security operations in the North East.
Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Gyang Buba, appreciated the governors’ unity and urged them to focus on the region’s mineral resources for the prosperity of its people.
The delegation came from the three states, comprising top government officials, religious leaders, and traditional rulers, among others.
Meanwhile, the president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr Yakubu Maikyau, has condemned the December 24 attacks by bandits on villages in Plateau State, leaving nearly 200 Nigerians dead and the earlier drone strike by the military on Tudun Biri in Kaduna State which claimed the lives of over 100 Nigerians.
The NBA boss, who decried the state of insecurity across the nation, described the incidents as inexcusable and unacceptable.
Maikyau, in his new year message made available to newsmen on Tuesday, noted that “From information made available by the military and other security sources, the Tudun Biri incident is suggestive of the gap in our security architecture: lack of inter-agency synergy and coordination, while the attack in Plateau is clearly indicative of poor intelligence gathering or a deliberate failure to act despite the intelligence on the impending attacks on the villages or notice of the attack on the villages by the bandits, as reported by community leaders.”
The NBA president urged the government of President Bola Tinubu to show demonstrable commitment to prioritizing the security of the lives and properties of Nigerians.
The statement reads, “Government, through our Armed Forces and other security agencies, must ensure that no square inch of the Nigerian territory is left ungoverned; no part of Nigeria should be left under the control of criminal elements by whatever name so called.
“Government must make deliberate investment in security, of such a scale and magnitude, which will leave Nigerians in no doubt as to the sincerity of the statement made by the President. The Federal Government must adopt a holistic approach to the issue of security while not overlooking the peculiarities of each region and design measures to deal with them.
“In this wise, the government must neither be ‘scared’ nor ‘ashamed’ to make the right investments in security, in line with global trends in security without compromising our sovereignty.”
On the state of the economy, he called on the Federal Government to put in place additional measures to address the ensuing and increasing difficulties associated with the subsidy removal.
While acknowledging the commitment by the administration of President Tinubu, to, amongst other things, adopt fiscal measures that will promote domestic production and lessen import dependency, undertake budgetary reforms that will stimulate the economy without engendering inflation and improve on the generation and transmission of electricity, Maikyau noted that “with the passing of the 2024 Budget by the National Assembly, it is now left for the President to demonstrate to Nigerians that these are not mere rhetoric.”
The NBA President tasked government at all levels to show demonstrable respect for its social contract with the people of Nigeria by adopting and implementing people-oriented policies and programmes, which align with sustainable development ideals and principles.
Meanwhile, former president of the Senate, Senator David Mark has urged the President Bola Tinubu-led administration to consider a review of the security architecture with a view to making it more proactive and strategic towards addressing the challenges.
Senator Mark said a review will identify the loopholes and devise means to end the blood shedding. .
He said the Plateau incidents in which scores of citizens were needlessly massacred should be a wakeup call that the security challenge needs urgent attention.
In the same vein, the Plateau chapter of Jama’atuNasril Islam (JNI), on Tuesday, also visited Governor Caleb Mutfwang over the recent killings in the state, urging stakeholders to be more responsive to early warning signals to avoid a repeat of such conflict.
The JNI chairman, who is also the Emir of Wase, Alhaji Mohammed Haruna, described the incident as unfortunate and irreligious.
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